The death of a woman in a Tameside bungalow blaze left firefighters consoling shocked and devastated residents of her street yesterday.
The 59-year-old woman was dragged from her house by six firefighters in breathing apparatus who discovered her whole bungalow on fire when they arrived, however she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following the fire on Denbigh Road, Haughton Green at 1.25am on Monday May 6, crews have been working with the community to give advice on fire safety, carry out Home Safety Checks and offer reassurance to those around Haughton Green.
Tameside Borough Manager Jon Heydon said firefighters faced difficult conditions and did well to ensure the fire didn’t spread.
“It is terribly sad that a woman has lost her life in this fire and our thoughts are with family, friends and neighbours, who will no doubt be shocked and upset,” he added.
Initial investigations suggest the fire started in the bedroom as a result of ‘smoking materials’, however the matter will be passed to the coroner.
The ferocity of the blaze meant crews also put jets on neighbouring houses to stop the fire spreading to them.
A 58-year-old woman who lives in a house nearby suffered from the effects of smoke inhalation, but refused treatment from ambulance staff.
Mr Heydon added that help will also be available today.
“Crews will be in the community to ensure that anyone with concerns about fire safety following this incident can get advice and support from them,” he said.
For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.
